Landmarks & History of Waverly

Waverly is the oldest village in the county. Founded in 1837, Waverly sprung up as a product of the construction of the Central Canal linking Indianapolis with Newberry in Greene County. Construction on the canal began that same year with large numbers of Irish workers coming to the area. Only a year later, with a small segment of the canal completed, construction was suspended due to financial problems.

Recurring flooding in the Waverly area has made it difficult to inhabit portions of the town. The county has received funding to help relocate
residents whose property is repeatedly damaged by flooding. As a result, the county has numerous properties in this area of Waverly that could be combined to form the beginnings of a county park. Located along the river, the Waverly site has tremendous history associated with it. Intact portions of this history are a historic church, a former bank, and an old blacksmith shop. Based on this, it is envisioned that this be developed primarily as a history park that can trace the roots of the county. Supporting this vision is the County’s goal of re‐building the three span Waverly Covered Bridge that burned in the early 1900’s. This bridge could become one of the pedestrian bridges needed to support
the plan. The park is also envisioned as a public river access point, as well as a possible location for a canoe livery and/or a primitive campground.